Last night, The Vampire Diaries celebrated its 100th episode. So many familiar faces came back to grace the screen. Klaus, Rebekah, Elijah, Vicki, AUNT JENNA. I will never turn an Alaric cameo away, but … truth be told, it was a bit much. I love a good nostalgic episode as much as Matt does, but it was pretty crowded up in there. No matter! Katherine is now living in Elena’s body, so as far as I’m concerned, we all just won the goddamn lottery.

In keeping with this spirit of celebration, I decided to do a straight plus and minus recap and nix our regular debate. One-hundred episodes feels like a time to come together — how could we pit Salvatore against Salvatore with all that group bonding (drinking) going on?

The opening sequence of Katherine giving birth/Katherine on the ER table was intense. We’ve seen parts of this scene before, but when they take her baby away from her … wow. Plus 20, Nina.

Stefan is totally a waiting room kind of guy. Plus 6.

Elena and Damon both mourning their breakup was cute. As was Caroline coming in and getting Elena out of bed. She was so PSYCHED they broke up, she couldn’t even hide it. She even made breakfast! “You memorized my breakup?” Elena asks. “Of course I did!” #Friendshipisthebestship Plus 40.

“Who spends two years pining after a girl to dump her?” I kind of forgot Damon and Elena broke up in the last episode, to be honest. It felt a little like a bunch of their other fights? But maybe those were fights they had before they got together. Anyway, Matt was making some excellent points. Although, to be fair, I got where Damon was coming from, too, because Elena is the worst and he doesn’t want to date her anymore … or whatever his reasoning was. That was probably solid, too. Plus 7.

Elena doesn’t want to talk to Stefan, who she assumes is calling to console her about her break up with his brother. Christ. Minus 10.

Damon, Matt, and Jeremy drinking over Katherine — plus 50! Love these hunks so much. And it’s always fun when they do plot highlights because they sound absurd, and the writers know that, and it’s hilarious and fun and insidery. “Group shot!”

It’s so adorable when Elena pretends not to let Jeremy drink. But it was great when the girls came in and joined the game. This is what we imagine it’s like on set, all the time. P.S. Did anyone play along? Plus 40.

“You know, even on your deathbed, you’re vain,” Stefan said, in the most loving way possible. Stefan was really bringing his hero A-game last night. Plus 10. “I think I can muster a little bit of compassion,” he said, gently taking Katherine’s hand.

I forgot what was going on with this Nadia-Matt plotline, but DO NOT MESS WITH HIS FACE, NEW GIRL. Minus 20. Also, she buried him in a safe. Like, look, I think Matt is actually probably better equipped than Stefan to handle small spaces (he doesn’t dwell in the Salvatore compound, you know?), but still — not cool.

It would have been annoying that Stefan was sticking up for Katherine and being all “guys, be nice, she’s actually really cool if you get to know her,” but like, it’s true, so plus 20.

“Your mother killed your boyfriend. Why are we saving her again?” Minus 15. Elena just does not get anything. Her tiff with Stefan about sleeping with Katherine was stupid and unjustified, but rang pretty true anyway. So plus 4 for that.

“Hello, is no one gonna comment on the fact that Stefan slept with Katherine?” Then Caroline FREAKED out about Bonnie and Jeremy. I love her so much. Pure sunshine. Plus 40. “Good idea, we’ll cover more ground that way!” she said, as they clearly bailed on her to go bone some more.

Damon got in Katherine’s head. Why do I always forget they can do this? Minus 10. Damon was being a huge dick. Although plus 10, because Katherine has been horrible to him, too. Their relationship is fascinating and I wish we would have seen a little more of it this episode. I want to know how Katherine really feels about him.

Sheriff Forbes! Weird entrance, but whatever, love her. “If you kill her, it’s murder. I have to bring you in, lock you up. There’s all that paperwork.” Sheriff Forbes was just hanging out, feeding Katherine meds like some kind of doctor. Is this why she’s so ineffective as an actual keeper of the law? Because she’s just putting herself through med school? Plus 8. This town is crazy.

Every time I see Paul Wesley, my field of vision turns sepia-toned and romantic music plays. That happens to me, too, Katherine. Maybe we are also soul mates? Plus 5 for Katherine first laying eyes on Stefan.

So Klaus showed up. “I literally just whooshed at the sight of your face,” Caroline said. No points, we’ll get to this later.

It was weird when Elena and Stefan were locked in that shack with all those people chanting around them. I mean, this is not that different from a lot of things that happen on TVD, and frankly they did not seem particularly concerned about it, so fine. Also, Stefan wasn’t shielding Elena with his body or anything, which I think is the show’s way of expressing Stefan’s growth? Plus 5.

Klaus asked Caroline if she’d give him the same choice she gave Tyler. And then there was some complicated conversation about how he wanted her confession of wanting him. I adore Caroline, but Klaus’s continued love for her is just not believable — and seems to be in contradiction to his very thoughtful and compelling arc on The Originals. I’m not trying to hate; it just doesn’t make any sense to me. It doesn’t feel earned or justified or real. And on a show that works hard to achieve all of those things, this seemed like a pretty obvious trick to make some people happy. So I hope you were happy, Klaroline people. Be happy. Plus 20.

REBEKAH! I see her every week in New Orleans, but something about having our (second) favorite blonde back in Mystic Falls just felt right. Or it could have been Matt’s megawatt smile. Plus 40.

The Elijah-Katherine moment was beautiful because Elijah’s face, but also confusing. It seemed like she really loved Elijah. Who was her great love? How do we still not know this? (Will we ever?) Plus 6.

Stefan was trying to talk Elena into getting back together with Damon, so that’s where we are with that.

Did Stefan get a new headboard? Plus 10! Sometimes you just gotta change your bed karma, you know? Loving the tufted.

I really wanted to like this Katherine-Nadia deathbed reconciliation moment, but I just do not care at all about Nadia. I wanted Katherine to have this Come to Jesus with someone else. Damon, actually. I DID like that he heard all of it, though. That felt important. Plus 6.

Right, so Caroline and Klaus had hot sex against a tree, as you do. This felt believable, but only because Caroline had lamented wanting to have hot sex with someone like three scenes earlier. Plus 15.

Stefan gave Katherine forgiveness and a vision of her baby girl and then a forehead kiss. Because he is perfect and wonderful and beautiful and the most loving example of a romantic hero. Always and forever, Stefan. Always. Plus 50.

Stefan and Damon drinking and bonding — A+. “What? I’m being selfless. Don’t give me that look.” I don’t know where anyone’s head is at romantically, to be honest, so I’m not even going to try. But plus 20 for the bros.

Bonnie’s hair looks awesome now that she’s sleeping with Jeremy. I also loved when she told Matt she sees Vicki. Hi, Kayla! Plus 7.

“I thought you bailed on us to go find peace or whatever?” Alaric came back. We love you, buddy. We just wish you’d stick around to say something more than your obligatory one-two Damon punch. Plus 30.

Is Tyler back to stay? I liked that he was there, if only so Matt had someone to embrace, but he’s come and gone in about the exact same way three times now. I don’t really have it in me to watch him be a jerk to Caroline again.

Elena forgave Katherine. And in the same speech admitted Katherine’s past looks a lot like her own — dead family, no one looking out for her. I hate on Elena a lot, but I also love her. She’s had it tough. She tries. This was a big moment, for sure. Katherine has been the root of so much of her suffering. All the way back to season one, it was always Katherine Pierce. Plus 20 for Elena’s compassion.

Would she … is she going to … could we be so lucky … HOLY SHIT. Katherine took over Elena’s body. I am excited about this because as I’ve mentioned, Elena has been really tough to sympathize with lately, and also Katherine is the queen … but, I have a concern. I’m going to voice it in the form of a question. Does Katherine taking over Elena’s body at her moment of death (retribution) undermine her wonderful journey to humanity this season? Would it have been better for Katherine to accept Elena’s forgiveness and die a more compassionate human being? Will she have any chance to redeem herself now that she betrayed everyone in such a cutthroat way? So a few questions, actually. I have loved Katherine’s arc this season. It has been some of the best storytelling this show has ever done. And even though Katherine is one of my favorite characters, I think I would have been okay with seeing an epic death. But what is this, the series finale? Carry on.

So many positive points, memories, and moments for the 100th episode. Thanks for hanging around with me. It continues to be a lot of fun. Here’s to 100 more?

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